Monthly Archives: July 2014

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Wesley Snipes has 58 credits to his name according to the IMDB, he has had some difficult personal times of recent years, but is now going to be part of the new Expendables film. Today I am going to look at my favourite roles of his career.

5. Detective Regis – Murder at 1600 (1997)

Regis is trying to solve a murder at the White House, but ends up uncovering a conspiracy that will put his life in danger.

4. Joe – Liberty Stands Sill (2002)

Joe is a sniper who has a lady trapped while he is trying to get the truth out, he puts her through a range or humiliation and torture before his motives are full explained.

3. Mark J. Sheridan – U.S. Marshals (1998)

In the sequel to The Fugitive we have another innocent man framed that is being hunted down by Tommy Lee Jones.

2. Simon Phoenix – Demolition Man (1993)

In one of the few times he plays a villain he gets released into a future world and goes toe to toe with Stallone’s cop in an all action over the top fun filled film.

1. Blade – Blade Trilogy

The half human half vampire known as day walker takes on vampires and everything they evolve into as well as finally take on Dracula.

Plot: A freak weather system turns its deadly fury on New York City, unleashing a Sharknado on the population and its most cherished, iconic sites – and only Fin and April can save the Big Apple.

Verdict: It’s Back, Bigger, Bader and Hungrier

Story: Same story different city, this time we have two separate parts of one family trying to reach one certain point in New York while it is being battered by Sharknadoes. We get the same group which are full of disposable members while keeping the key people alive. We have the ridiculous kills with most bring a laugh and a full range of every day weapons to take on the sharks. This isn’t designed to be outstanding quality it is there to entertain so watch light hearted and you will enjoy. Big negative though, No Nova or mention of their children from the first one. (7/10)

Actor Review

Ian Ziering: Fin living as the hero of LA he is struggling to deal with the popularity and nightmares, but when the next storm comes along he steps up to save the day again. Good performance showing more charisma than the first film. (8/10)

Tara Reid: April having survived the first film she has written a book about what happened and started to rekindle the love with Fin, but once she loses her hand in a shark attack she spends most of the film on her own. How does she keep returning to these films? (3/10)

Vivica A Fox: Skye old friend of Fin who has always been in love with him and will follow him through anything. Good supporting performance bringing a little bit more attitude to the role. (7/10)

Mark McGrath: Martin old friend and brother in law to Fin, they used to run things back in the day but have lost connection due to a disagreement; he is all work which leaves his family sometimes coming second. Good performance that never really reaches the heights of Baz from the first one. (6/10)

Kari Wuhrer: Ellen Fin’s sister who has to race across Manhattan to get to safety along with her daughter, resourceful lady. Good supporting performance that seems to play the role a bit too serious though. (7/10)

Director Review: Anthony C. Ferrante – It entertains, it makes you laugh, it has mental action what more can a director do? (7/10)

Horror: Sharks in Tornadoes how scared are you? (8/10)

Thriller: Having multiply people trying to get to safety adds a thrilling side to this film, instead of just one large group. (8/10)

Settings: New York always a great setting for a destruction film. (9/10)
Special Effects: The effects have got better since the first one but still not what the film is about. (5/10)

Suggestion: If you enjoyed the first one you have to watch, but this still falls into the category of so bad its good. (Watch)

Best Part: Cameos everywhere

Worst Part: No Nova she made the first film.

Action Scene Of The Film: Plane scene

Funniest Scene: A weather report saying there will be 2 inches of shark fall.

Plot: Jenny (Allen) never did get over the death of her husband. So when an alien life form decides to model ‘himself’ on the husband, Jenny is understandably confused if not terrified. The alien known as Starman (Bridges), has a deadline to meet, and kidnaps Jenny in order to meet it, but on their journey together they become close and Starman gives Jenny a chance to say good bye to her husband which she was unable because of his accident. With the government chasing them down they have three days to make the journey across the country.

Verdict: Sci-Fi Different

Story: Following a very simple story for the modern audience this stories ability to shift between genres effortlessly is incredible. The struggling language and culture barriers for Starman work to great effect as he learns as the journey continues. The idea that the Americans would panic and think the worst when something visits Earth. But they always have one member of the team who would ask questions rather than be violent. We also have a more touching side where Jenny gets to spend time with her former husband and get to say the final good byes. Putting all these together this really makes a trans-genre movie way before its time. (9/10)

Actor Reviews

Jeff Bridges: Starman after finding the recording we sent into space, he crash lands on Earth and takes the form of dead painter Scott. He has three days to get across America and takes Jenny with him, first as a hostage but soon as his teacher. He processes powers we can only dream off including reincarnation. Jeff got an Oscar nomination for this and he was brilliant in the role. (10/10)

Karen Allen: Jenny the grieving widow, who wakes up to find her dead husband back but different. She travels with the man but is always trying to escape during the first day until she sees his ability and wants desperately to help him find his way home. Good performance from Karen who does stand up next to Jeff very well. (9/10)

Charles Martin Smith: Mark a member of the government trying to find the alien being, but believes the visitor has come in peace and not looking to cause any trouble. Good supporting performance showing that not all government people are evil against visitors. (7/10)

Richard Jaeckel: George the man who wants to shot first and ask questions later, he sums up how the America’s seem to think that way about visitors from another world. Good performance filling in as the villain of the piece. (7/10)

Director Review: John Carpenter – Great direction from Carpenter showing that he was talented enough to swap genres with ease. (9/10)

Adventure: The adventure side of the story is only about the trip, which has a string of events on that put the couple in trouble. (7/10)

Romance: The romance side feels almost awkward but it does offer someone who was in love one last couple of days with the loved one they lose. (7/10)

Sci-Fi: Though the whole story is about visit from space, it could also be a visit back from heaven from a lost loved one. (8/10)

Settings: Each setting adds to the adventure all leading to one of the most talked about places in America. (7/10)
Special Effects: The special effects are used rarely but when they are they work very well for the story and haven’t dated too badly at all. (9/10)

Suggestion: I think this is one worth watching, it has plenty for fans of all the genres out there, it really hasn’t dated and with it being 30 years old in the sci-fi world is a rare thing. (Watch)

Tagline: He has travelled from a galaxy far beyond our own. He is 100,000 years ahead of us. He has powers we cannot comprehend. And he is about to face the one force in the universe he has yet to conquer, Love.

Trivia:The only John Carpenter film to have an Academy Award nomination.

Plot: In the future, a wealthy family is held hostage for harbouring the target of a murderous syndicate during the Purge, a 12-hour period in which any and all crime is legalized. The family Sandin James (Hawke), Mary (Headey) Charlie (Burkholder) Zoey (Kane) and her boyfriend Henry (Oller) rescue a bloody stranger (Hodge) but the gang led by a man only known as the polite leader (Wakefield) torment and change their targets as the Purge continues.

Verdict: Home Invasion reborn?

Story: In a nut shell the story falls into the category that the kid is stupid. If you were living in a world where this happens there is no way in hell you would even consider opening the doors for a stranger. The whole spilt in sociality is interesting as they consider each level of people to be more important. It comes over well with good build but in the end it all falls apart. (5/10)

Actor Review: Ethan Hawke – James the designer of the security system that everyone uses, supports the Purge but will go out his way to make sure his family is safe. Good performance solid throughout and not as good as he seems. (7/10)

Actor Review: Lena Headey – Mary the wife who questions what they are doing by scarifying an innocent man. Good performance but could have been made more intense. (7/10)

Actor Review: Max Burkholder – Charlie the stupid son who starts everything. He could easily enter the hall of fame for stupid kids in film, not the actors fault though. (6/10)

Actor Review: Adelaide Kane – Zoey the rebellious teenager who spends most of the film crying and being annoying. Another poorly written character that is not the actress fault. (6/10)

Actor Review: Rhys Wakefield – Polite Leader of the Purge gang, very good leader who it would have been nice to see more of his motives. Good performance but not given enough screen time. (6/10)

Plot: A man is chosen by his world’s creator to undertake a momentous mission before an apocalyptic flood cleanses the world.

Verdict: Visual Beautiful

Story: We all know the basic story about Noah and his Ark. This builds on the idea that if it was real the human challenges sacrifices would be huge to make, leaving us to watch how the family struggles through them all. We also see how they would deal with the large amounts of animals, but question whether they would be the last humans. All together it is built to an epic scale that does test morale questions about how to deal with what is going on. (8/10)

Actor Review

Russell Crowe: Noah the man who has had the vision about the great flood and along with his family he sets out to protect them and complete the wishes of God. Good performance as one of the greatest characters the Bible ever created. (8/10)

Jennifer Connelly: Naameh the wife of Noah who supports on the trip and tests his human side over his religious side. Good supporting role and does have some powerful scenes but otherwise is only a background to the bigger picture. (8/10)

Ray Winstone: Tubal-Cain the villain of the piece who tries to stop the ark and turn one of Noah’s children against him. Good villainous performance without being pure evil, just desperate to survive. (8/10)

Anthony Hopkins: Methuselah the mythical oldest man to live from the Bible, father of Noah and guider on the creation of the ark. Good supporting performance that works for Hopkins. (7/10)

Emma Watson: Ila found wounded she becomes part of Noah’s family before becoming a love interest for Shem. Good supporting role breaking out of the Harry Potter character most people are used to seeing her in. (8/10)

Logan Lerman: Ham the middle child who wants to have love but with what is happening he starts to lose faith in his father. Good performance in the lost son role, showing how each side could be right and wrong with the cleansing. (7/10)

Douglas Booth: Shem the oldest son and to become leader of the family once Noah has passed, he works as hard as his father and will be a great replacement but when he love interest starts to change his relationship with his father he is ready to step up now. Good performance from the most unknown of the main characters standing toe-to-toe with the greats involved. (8/10)

Director Review: Darren Aronofsky – Good direction to turn the epic story from the Bible into an epic screen adaptation. (8/10)

Action: Even though there are only a couple of action scenes they are put together brilliantly. (8/10)

Drama: Good drama showing the relationships between the characters and how they are being effects by what is going on. (9/10)

Settings: Even though each setting is very much CGI is looks beautiful and authentic. (9/10)
Special Effects: Stunning CGI to create everything going on with the actors. (10/10)

Suggestion: I think this is one to try it might not be for everyone as it is long and a lot of people nowadays don’t believe or care about Biblical stories. (Try)

Best Part: The fight before the ark launch.

Worst Part: It is long.

Action Scene Of The Film: The ark launch fight.

Believability: No (0/10)

Chances of Tears: No (0/10)

Chances of Sequel: No

Post Credits Scene: No

Oscar Chances: It could get a few nods most for visual effects.

Box Office: $359 Million

Budget: $125 Million

Runtime: 2 Hour 18 Minutes

Tagline: Rediscover the epic story of one man and the most remarkable event in our history.

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